Magnetic read/write heads used to access data on magnetic disks generally incorporate a transducer element mounted on a slider which is attached to a flexure. These head assemblies are themselves mounted, by the free end of the flexure, on rigid support arms to form head/arm assemblies. The head/arm assemblies are attached to an actuator mechanism, the movement of which causes the translation of the heads over the surface of the rotating disks.
Conventionally, at the point of manufacture of the head assemblies, the assemblies are processed individually. The processing steps include cleaning and testing. The head assemblies are then individually loaded into trays for transportantion from the head manufacturer to the point of final assembly at the disk file manufacturer.
At the disk file manufacturer the individual head assemblies are normally attached to support arms and the resulting head/arm assemblies mounted onto the actuator mechanism. This is a delicate and time consuming process, involving individual handling of the various assemblies and head to head alignment.
It can be readily appreciated that the excessive handling of individual heads and head/arm assemblies can cause a reduction in yield and a need for rework of partly assembled disk files to replace damaged heads.
European patent application 0 234 442 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,748 describe disk files which include armstack units onto which are mounted individual transducer head flexure assemblies. The armstack unit is removably attached to the actuator mechanism allowing easy removal for replacement of individual head/arm assemblies. The assemblies are individually attached to the armstack unit away from the actuator mechanism with the correct centre to centre spacing of the heads for merge to the disk stack. The armstack unit is then attached to the actuator mechanism.
While these pre-assembled arm stack units provide a simple means for achieving the correct alignment of the heads ready for merging with the disk stacks, they do not remove the need for individual handling by the disk file manufacturer of both heads and head/arm assemblies. Nor do they provide protection for the heads, once they are assembled to the armstack unit.
Thus there is a requirement for reducing handling of the heads during manufacture and transportation and also facilitating assembly of head/arm assemblies to the actuator of a disk file.